Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $900.00| Rating: 9

Pros:

Build, acuity, range, quality feel, nearby bokeh, close focussing

Cons:

distant Bokeh

This lens successfully out resolves the sensor on my OMD M1. The build quality is on a different level to many other 4/3 lenses and is a pleasure to use.
Being realistic I cant give the lens a 10 as its probably not as sharp as, say the 75/f1.8 but for a zoom it is outstanding. The only issue is distant bokeh, where the "real" F2.8 becomes an effective F5.6 and it can look very busy compared to my FX. Interestingly, out of focus areas in the near fore and background look great. The fact is this is a great landscape lens where DOF is important, it focuses as close as 150mm from the lens and is certainly good enough for a quick portrait against neutral backgrounds. Spending $900 doesn't get better than this.

azoele

Registered: February 2011Posts: 5

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro M.Zuiko Digital ED review by azoele

Review Date: 2/5/2014

Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 9

Pros:

Sharpness, bokeh (when you get it...), fast autofocus, colour

Cons:

2.8 is quite slow on m4/3s

The lens is a real surprise: very fast to autofocus, and very, very sharp. Colours are pleasing and saturated, and the out of focus areas tend to be gentle, not harsh.
Optically, a real winner, and one of the very few lenses I dare use wide open with nary a thought.

The only negative is the speed: f2.8 might seem fast, but on the m4/3s format it is indeed a pretty limiting factor, as it forces you to raise your iso quickly as light gets dimmer, and makes it difficult to get much out of focus (or any at all...) unless you're shooting very near subjects.

An impressive little lens.

dglynos

Registered: December 2013Posts: 1

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro M.Zuiko Digital ED review by dglynos

Review Date: 12/21/2013

Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $955.00| Rating: 10

This lens becomes the defining do-it-all-and-anywhere for any m4/3 system. Optically, this is one of the best zoom lenses I’ve ever used. Minimal CA at all apertures & smooth bokeh. It can replace a couple of primes quite easily, especially the Olympus 12mm f/2.0. Perfect travel pairing for my E-M5 (with the top part of the HLD-6 Battery Grip attached for better handling).

rrwilliams64

Registered: September 2013Posts: 9

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro M.Zuiko Digital ED review by rrwilliams64

Review Date: 12/19/2013

Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $999.00| Rating: 10

Pros:

Build quality, optics, handling

Cons:

none

In reality, imagine having the equivalent of the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 L at basically less than half the price. That's where the MFT format's latest pro lens from Olympus leads us. Top notch build quality, tack sharp wide open, beautiful color rendition. Not to mention being weather resistant, along with easy clutch mechanism to switch from AF/MF. Having been a long time user of both Canon and Nikon, I've switched to the OM-D E-M1 with this glass and haven't looked back. Not cheap, but taken in perspective to pro glass prices from the big two, it's a bargain. Highly recommended.

aragdog

Registered: June 2012Posts: 1

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro M.Zuiko Digital ED review by aragdog

Review Date: 12/17/2013

Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $999.00| Rating: 10

Pros:

Wow what a lens in that package

Cons:

Nothing

If you had a place higher I woud give this a 12-15. Sensational lens,and I was a sceptic about the 4/3 format. Went out with it first day to shoot anthing in our area and edge and center were so sharp. Great color and bokeh. All of the reviews do not say how great.

Prime Minister

Registered: May 2011Posts: 35

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro M.Zuiko Digital ED review by Prime Minister

Review Date: 11/16/2013

Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $1,200.00| Rating: 10

There's really not much to say about this zoomlens. It's a great performer at all apertures and at every focal length. If you pixel peep, you'll find that it's a tad softer in the corners when zoomed past 25mm, but that's about it. I can't imagine this to be a problem in real life. If it is a problem, just set the aperture to f/4 to get photos that are evenly sharp from corner to corner. CA and distortion are both very low and the bokeh is okay for this type of lens. Most of the time it's not creamy smooth, but it's not harsh either.

I thought the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 was good, and it is, but I like this Olympus even better. It has less distortion and CA and it's sharper on the wide end. It seems to me that this lens gives a more consistent output then the Panasonic f/2.8 zoom. The biggest surprise may be that it comes with a lens hood.

Focussing is quick and silent. Zooming is smooth, but my copy does emit a strange faint rubbery squeaking sound when the camera (E-M5) is turned on. When the camera is powered down, the sound disappears. I have absolutely no idea what it can be. Maybe some small electronic motors that start moving while zooming the lens in and out. Anyway, it's no big deal.

You can get really close with this lens. I think it's a very nice option to have and I can imagine that many photographers don't need an extra macro lens. This Olympus 12-40mm might very well be the only lens many people ever need. Especially when combined with the very efficient Olympus in body stabilization. It's a do it all kind of lens. And it does it well too.

The build quality is really good. Just like the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8. The Olympus is bigger and slightly heavier though. For a 24-70 f/2.8 equivalent it's pretty small of course. This is a lens that really makes me wonder if I should keep the Olympus 12mm f/2. The prime is slightly sharper in the center, but I doubt it will be visible in real world photography. I'm under the impression that the zoom is sharper in the corners, impressive!

I think the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro is a great lens and definitively worth it's somewhat hefty price tag. Anyway, in my opinion it lives up to its 'Pro' label.